Jailed
by KC Evans
Summary: AU. After a long day of work, Kaoru finds a familiar man held prisoner in her jail cell. But can a Free Sword ever be truly caged? A light-hearted read for those in need of a story with some fluff.


Warnings: AU. Unbeta-ed. Slight OOC. Rated for some bad language.

Disclaimer: _Rurouni Kenshin_ belongs to its respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

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With the eight mark of the candle gone, Kaoru decided it was time to turn in for the night. She stood up and stretched, trying to work out the kinks in her neck from bending over and filling out incident reports she hadn't been able to get to earlier. Stifling a yawn, she gathered up the papers into a tidy pile and left it on her desk to finish tomorrow.

Her office was a simple tiny square, no bigger than one of the cells lining the wall outside her door. But it held her desk, a straight back wooden chair, and several fat sticks of candles melting wax in their holders. There was a tiny window behind her, back when one of the previous Constables smoked and used it to tap the ash away and air out the office. It still smelled faintly of sweet tobacco even today, no matter how many times she aired the room out.

But Kaoru had grown used to it, now in her third year as Constable of their village. She enjoyed her job most of the time even though some days were long and the position entailed more of separating bickering children than actual law enforcement. Still, she couldn't imagine doing this anywhere else.

The clock candle spluttered as a cool breeze wafted in from the window to tease the dancing flame. Kaoru had been up since before dawn, trying to keep ahead of the crowds reveling in the Equinox Harvest Festival, making sure they followed the rules. Although their celebration was nothing like the bigger towns, their little village was one of the better places to gather and people came from even twenty miles away to join in on the party.

The village appreciated the people coming in to spend money and enjoy themselves, but Kaoru considered it one of her biggest headaches of the year. The other one was the Spring Planting Festival that began before the spring planting was done in earnest, and the farmers would work nonstop until the equinox when they celebrated the end of their very long season. She understood the need to just let out and relax and catch up with friends and family members in an easygoing environment, but some people took their drinking and carousing too far, which meant she had to step in.

But thus far, things seemed tame. It was the fourth night of the week-long festival and her jail cells remained relatively empty, minus the occasional brawler or drunken fool. A night in confinement usually brought sobriety and sheepish apologies and Kaoru would let them go with a warning. If they had to be hauled back in, they would be banned for the next year. People usually toed the line after testing her in the first year as Constable, and Kaoru wasn't adverse to reminding them that she wasn't someone to mess with.

By this time, however, people usually toned down any excess to simply enjoy themselves and Kaoru decided there was no harm to turn in for the evening. Sano, her deputy, would patrol the village at night and Cho, her unofficial volunteer deputy would help, even if two squabbled worse than children sometimes. She was glad she didn't have to listen to it.

The outer door to the constable's office creaked open and footsteps echoed past her door, towards the back of the room. Kaoru frowned as she heard Sano say, "You know the drill. Get inside and think about what you did wrong." A few seconds later, she heard the clang of one of the jail cells opening, then shut as the offender obeyed the commands. Most people knew better than to disobey Sano, who was probably the tallest and strongest man in the village.

A prisoner, and so early? Kaoru shook her head; there were always one or two people who managed to _not_ learn their lesson. She decided to check in with Sano and tell him she was heading home. She didn't care to join the celebration herself even though there was no one waiting for her at her tiny hut.

Sighing at the thought, Kaoru chased away any further reflections on that subject because it would only depress her. Picking up her sword, she girded it onto her belt and blew out the candles before heading to the door. But just as she as reached to touch the knob, it swung open and Sano filled the doorway. "Whoa there, Jou-chan!"

"Constable," she corrected him automatically, exasperated with his unprofessionalism.

"Oh right, sorry, Jou-chan," he said. Sano didn't seem to notice her glare and instead jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the general direction of the cells. "Got a prisoner there. I figured you might want to handle this one yourself while I get back on patrol. Last I heard, there was talk about a midnight mud wrestling match."

Kaoru groaned. The wrestling matches were fine in theory, but all it took was one or two drunken louts to get offended or hit one too many times before an all-out mob brawl happened. And if it happened at midnight, there was a greater chance of people being drunk and things getting out of hand. "Please do everything you can to prevent that from happening. I'll take care of the prisoner. What's the charge?"

"Bar fight at the Shiny Kettle." The Shiny Kettle was the largest tavern in the village, and boasted quite a few tasty alcohol selections on tap. "See yah later, Jou-chan." Sano snapped off a jaunty salute and ambled out.

Her plans of going home stymied, Kaoru exhaled slowly before she stepped into the main room. If the person in her cell was inebriated, she'd keep him until morning before delivering a blistering lecture about the offense he'd committed. If he wasn't drunk, she'd let him have it now, and probably a little worse because she was tired and she didn't want to deal with idiots who decided to think with their fists instead of their brains.

The door shut behind her with a light click and Kaoru glanced around to make sure nothing was out of order. The rectangular space contained Sano's desk he never sat at and wall lamps filled with kerosene that were kept lit all night. Three conjoined cells, tucked away in the back corner, lined up against the wall. Long metal bars spaced four inches apart made up the outline of each compartment. Each cell was equipped with a hard wooden bench and a bucket.

Satisfied everything was neat, and noticing the weapons bin reserved for holding their prisoner's arms was empty, Kaoru stalked over to the cell. The prisoner was lying down on the bench, one knee up and bent while the rest of his body remained straight. The foot that was stretched out hung off the edge only by inches, indicating he was a shorter man. His face was away from the lantern so it was slightly shadowed, but Kaoru could make out a glimpse of silky crimson hair, some of which fell from the bench and hung down loosely.

That stopped her short and Kaoru considered the possibilities. Surely short, red-haired men were commonplace among the village.

But then prisoner spoke, even though he didn't move to look at her. "Hello, Kaoru."

A hiss of exasperation escaped her lips before she could stop herself. Marching to close the distance between them, Kaoru stopped just before the bars and stared down at the man, willing him to see how irritated she was. "What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying your nice, comfortable cell, of course. Why else would I be here?"

His dry tone didn't do anything to ease her bewilderment at his presence. Kaoru's fingers flexed as if wanting to wring something before she curled them into a fist. "What I mean is, why is Himura the Free Sword here, in this village?"

At her question, spoken between a snarl and a demand, he sat up to meet her gaze. The vivid violet hue of his eyes turned speculative and calculating and Kaoru had to resist the urge to cross her arms in a defensive posture. He smiled suddenly, and she knew he was going to try to weasel out of this with his charm.

"Where else would I go to celebrate the Equinox ball?" he asked. The baritone of his voice somehow became smoother and lilting, as if trying to lull her into a better mood.

Kaoru refused to be placated. "The Equinox Harvest Festival," she corrected.

Kenshin waved a hand in a gesture of dismissal, which annoyed her further. "Of course. You know I love a good party. And apparently, yours is the best." He continued to study her, the leisurely perusal of her figure obvious under fiery bangs which partially covered his eyes. "And you know I appreciate the best," he murmured.

Ignoring the way her body hummed in awareness to the inappropriate gaze, Kaoru snapped her fingers. "Eyes up here, Himura," she said curtly. "What were you doing fighting in a bar? At least tell me you didn't draw your sword."

Her words seemed to snap him out of whatever languorous mood he was in. Kenshin lay back down on the bench, now refusing to her look at her. In fact, to her astonishment, he draped an arm over his eyes to avoid further contact. "I didn't. I know better than that."

"Good." Kaoru cocked her head slightly, her exasperation melting into perplexity at the uncharacteristic behavior. He was usually either all devilish charm or tired and serious and dangerous. He never once acted like he was trying to ignore her. Kenshin didn't move and she wondered if something had happened. He tended to wandered into the village several times a year, though lately he had been coming in more frequently and staying for longer periods. Kaoru hadn't expected him for another month at least, because he had left barely a fortnight ago.

But was it any of her business? He was her prisoner and she had to uphold the law, not get him to share what was bothering him. She sighed and leaned her body against the cool metal bars, watching him as the lantern flickered light over his lean body. His clothes appeared rather dusty and the edges of his dark blue trousers were caked with days old mud. The leather boots sported brown spots, indicating he had walked through muddy roads after last week's rain. His white tunic was cleaner, but still faded and had a hands-width hunter's green patch on the right shoulder. He was unarmed, and Kaoru wondered what Sano did with his sword, which he was never without.

"You're not drunk, are you?" she finally asked half-heartedly, looking for any explanation. Kaoru had actually never seen him drunk, though he did partake of the occasional alcohol. He didn't act drunk either, not slurring his words or blinking his eyes to focus blurred vision. But she didn't know how else to explain his unusual behavior and, quite frankly, she was beginning to get a little worried.

He snorted but he didn't remove his arm. "Am I acting like I'm drunk?"

"No," she admitted. "So then, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Everything's great."

Kaoru wished her pointed glance hadn't gone to waste but he was still avoiding eye contact with her. "Oh, really? Is that why you're in my cell?"

"Yes. It's comfortable here. Very reminiscent of the first time we met. Do you remember that, Constable?"

She sighed and leaned her head against the gap of the metal bars. "Of course I do," she said wearily. "How could I forget?"

"You arrested me for fighting then, too," Kenshin said with the faraway tone of someone reliving fond memories. "You were fearless and beautiful and absolutely authoritative when you ordered me to leave. It made me want to get to know you better."

"How interesting that we remember it differently," Kaoru said dryly. "As I recall, some clueless Free Sword wandered into my village, stirred up trouble by throwing out shocking accusations to the most prosperous farmer in the area, and then caused injury to a dozen and a half men who chased him here. My jails had never been so overflowing with prisoners."

Kenshin chuckled. "I like my version of the story better. It's more about you."

His words caused some region of her chest to lurch. Kaoru almost reached through the bars to touch him, but she ruthlessly suppressed the ill-advised gesture. "So, why did you get into a fight this time around?" she asked softly.

"I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay."

His response had her blinking. The charming side of him sloughed off and now there was an edge to his voice she rarely heard. Certain more than ever something must have happened, Kaoru pressed further. "It's not another gang trying to smuggle things through here, is it?" The farmer whom Kenshin had accused of breaking the law, was in fact allowing criminals to use his land for bringing in and exporting illegal goods and money. If Kenshin hadn't found evidence of the farmer's involvement for his arrest, there was a good chance their village would have eventually been run over by the gang to continue their activities.

"No, nothing like that."

Kaoru gripped a bar in each hand, trying to hide her frustration and confusion. "Then what's wrong? Why won't you tell me?"

Kenshin didn't say anything and Kaoru grit her teeth to keep her temper under control. She considered torturing him with her cooking until he broke, or at least keeping him in jail until he opened his mouth and explain himself, but the front door opened again, allowing a gust of cool wind to whoosh into the room.

"Hey Constable, got a prisoner here for you," Cho drawled, shoving a man forward. His sword was out, the blunt side resting against his right shoulder, indicating the newest offender was trouble. "We've got witnesses say he was trying to pick a fight with that red-headed troublemaker there."

Kaoru's brow furrowed as she turned and studied at the newcomer. He was a large man with a solid build. Despite the rolls of fat, she noticed heavy muscle underneath it, indicating latent strength. Cho must have seen that as well and drew his weapon as a precaution. The man's dark hair was closely shaved to his head, revealing a rounded face and narrow, beady eyes emphasized by the downturn of his brows. Faint purple smudges appeared on his ruddy cheek, indicating some sort of injury. A snarl perched on his lips even as black eyes darted around as if looking for escape.

At their entrance, Kenshin jerked upright into a sitting position and focused his gaze on the new prisoner, giving off an air of something akin to hatred. Kaoru had never seen that look in his eyes before so she swung her attention to Cho for answers. "What happened?"

The volunteer deputy shrugged. "I'm not completely sure myself. Sagara and I were patrolling around and then Fudosawa there -" he nodded towards the bulky newcomer "- fell outside through the door of the Shiny Kettle. Himura stormed outside looking like he was going to keep fighting so Sagara grabbed him and brought him here. I stayed to ask questions and people said Fudosawa started it. So I thought I'd bring him here too."

Kaoru put a hand to her head, trying to make sense of this. "So Kenshin didn't start the fight?"

"Not according to the dozen witnesses I interviewed. Fudosawa was talking trash and looking for a fight and probably decided to pick the smallest guy in the tavern. Right, Himura?" Cho grinned at him.

Kenshin didn't look offended, but he was still focusing his complete attention on the large man so he didn't respond.

Cho continued, "Himura didn't even have his sword on him. But he still managed to punch Fudosawa through the door. Everyone said Himura was furious, but he didn't do anything worse than leave a few marks on his opponent."

Shooting Kenshin a speculative glance, Kaoru turned her attention to Fudosawa. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Fudosawa shot her a sneer, his gaze running over her insolently. "I sure do, you sniveling bi-"

Before he could even finish, Kenshin hauled up to his feet and shoved the door to the cell open. It swung wide on its hinges and rattled ferociously against the metal bars with a ear-splitting clang that reverberated through the room, cutting off the larger man's words. Before the door careened back to a close, he took two steps out of the cell and grabbed Furosawa's shirt, yanking the bigger man closer until they were nose-to-nose. "You might want to choose your next words carefully," he hissed.

The burning light in Kenshin's eyes flared brighter than Kaoru had ever seen it and she stood rooted to the ground as much from Kenshin's continued unusual behavior as the fact that he was able to break the lock to the cell so easily - and all this without his sword. But then her ingrained sense of duty reasserted itself and she tensed, inching closer to the two men with a hand on her sword. From the corner of her eye. Kaoru noticed Cho easing forward as well, though his one open eye appeared amused by the entire situation.

She wanted to shoot Cho an annoyed, pointed glare but she didn't dare tear her eyes off of Kenshin, who looked entirely capable of ripping Fudosawa's head at the moment. Free Swords were not to be taken lightly. No one could control them and Kaoru had seen firsthand just how strong the red-haired man was. His fury seemed like a palpable thing, pulsating and filling the room until there was no room for anything else.

But Fudosawa didn't seem at all affected by the menacing glower and merely smirked. Oddly enough, he didn't try to fight against Kenshin's grip either. "Or what, you'll beat me to a pulp? You got a lucky punch in once, but you won't get one in again."

Kenshin growled, eyes darkening to a deep violet blue. His grip on Fudosawa's tunic tightened until the knuckles turned bone white, trembling with ill-contained rage.

"I think he's drunk," Cho drawled, disrupting some of the tension with his slow cadence. He winked at Kaoru and stepped forward, gripping Fudosawa's shoulder. "We'll take custody of the instigator and put him in jail for the night. You can decide what to do with Himura. What do you say, Constable?"

The large man scowled. "I'm not drunk, are you blind?"

Kaoru blinked twice and then understanding dawned on what Cho was trying to do. Jerking into motion, she strode towards the two men in an effort to pull them apart. "Good idea. Fudosawa can sleep it off here. Free Sword, you can leave."

Kenshin met her gaze as if unwilling to let the man go despite the ideal situation that offered him his freedom. But after Kaoru fixed him with a glare that promised deadly retribution if he didn't comply, he finally, slowly relaxed his grip on Fudosawa's shirt and stepped away.

"You can take cell two since Himura broke the door on the first one," Cho commented cheerfully. He prodded Fudosawa in the back with the hilt of his sword. "Go on, now. Don't make a fuss. There's three of us and one of you, and you really don't want to make the red-head madder than he already is."

Fudosawa flicked his eyes from person to person and seemed to realize the wisdom in Cho's words. But even as the cell door clanged shut behind him, he fixed a venomous glare at Kenshin. "We'll settle this some other time, Mercenary."

"Anytime," Kenshin replied softly, not flinching at the derogatory term of his occupation.

"No way!" Kaoru exclaimed, glaring at them. "Fighting won't be tolerated in my village. If you're so hellbent on getting into trouble, do it somewhere else or I'll make sure to lock you up until your bones decay." With faint pulsing at her temple, she decided it was way past time to leave and relax at home. She glanced at Cho. "Get back out there and help Sano. I'm going home and nobody better bother me unless buildings are going up in flames and half of us are dying."

Cho grinned and snapped off a mock salute with his sword. "Gotcha, Constable. Be good, Fudosawa. Take care, Himura, yah crazy bastard." He sheathed his weapon and turned to saunter out the door, whistling merrily as if pleased with the outcome of the situation.

Kaoru turned her attention to Kenshin next. "Go home and I don't want to see you in here again," she said irritably.

He looked like he was going to say something but when Kaoru gave him another _look_, he shut his mouth and nodded meekly. Kenshin left more silently than Cho, his form appearing oddly empty without his sword.

Feeling eyes on her, Kaoru focused her attention on Fudosawa who leveled a glower at her. She lifted a brow, unimpressed with his attempt at threatening her. "You must have a death wish, taking on a Free Sword. I don't know why you decided to choose him for a target, but if you like breathing, I recommend you leave him alone."

Fudosawa sneered. "You'll regret this, Kamiya. You'll get what's coming to you tenfold, and that mercenary too."

Interest piqued, Kaoru stepped closer to the jail cell, studying the large man while running his image through her memories. "You know my name, do you? You're new here, I know I've never seen you before. So how would you know the name of a small town Constable?"

As she expected, Fudosawa refused to answer and instead turned his head away like a miffed child. Kaoru watched him for a few more seconds to wait him out. But when it was clear he wasn't going to talk anymore, she shrugged, losing interest in the entire situation, given her headache and exhaustion. "Well, enjoy your night then." She strode out the front door and shut it behind her.

Outside, torches and fire pits offered not only heat against the cool autumn weather, but light to navigate through the throngs of people. No one ventured too close to the Constable's office, but plenty of people still milled around the area, talking, calling to one another, laughing, and enjoying themselves. Shadows moved and flickered in the light, creating eerie figures which children loved to scare themselves, and Kaoru could smell alcohol lingering beneath the earthy fumes of burning wood. Some of the more intrepid street vendors sold popular snack foods and sweets, causing the aroma of hot sticky buns to waft around sizzling sticks of venison and chicken. Kaoru eased through the throng of people, nodding to those who called out a greeting to her. No trouble yet. She hoped Sano and Cho would be able to prevent the midnight mud wrestling match from happening.

But it wasn't her concern for tonight, unless a complete riot broke out and her deputies needed some extra help. Willing herself to not dwell on that cheery thought, Kaoru headed towards her hut which was down the street from her office and just off the main road. It was tiny and barely fit two people comfortably and her roof would need re-thatching next year, but it was home.

She sighed in relief as she pushed the door open and shut it behind her. Unbuckling her sword belt, Kaoru set it at its usual place next to the entrance, right next to a similar weapon already placed there. Two pegs driven into the wall held the hilt so the sharp end was pointed down.

The oblong shaped single room had a working fireplace and crackling flames danced cheerily among the wood. A pot hung over the fire and something bubbling and delicious wafted from it. Kaoru had no table to sit at, simply because there was no room for one. There were two wooden chairs angled towards the fireplace, but her favorite place to be was in front of the fire with a pile of skins and blankets that also served as her bed. Two windows, one to her left and one to her right, were curtained off to give her some privacy. To the left of the fireplace were several cupboards holding a few dishes and pots. An exit to the right led to the backyard and the water pump.

The back door opened just then, revealing a short, lean man patting his face dry with a towel as he stepped inside. He glanced up at her and Kaoru stared as several missed water droplets trickled down from his hair to his face, catching on part of the cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. He smiled at her. "All done with work?"

She met his violet eyes that somehow captured and reflected the flames of the fireplace. He had chosen not to light a lamp, allowing the ambient fire to set a cozy mood instead. "Yes," she said, her voice sounding husky. Then a memory intruded, reality set in, and she shook her head to frown at him. "I would have been home a lot earlier if someone hadn't decided to get arrested! What are you doing back anyway?"

Kenshin chuckled. "I missed you too, my love." He draped the towel on the back of one of the chairs to dry and moved to check on the bubbling pot. "Dinner's almost ready. Should we eat now or later?"

Kaoru crossed her arms across her chest. "Kenshin," she said, stretching out his name in warning.

"Later it is, then." Kenshin picked up a ladle that hung off the mantle of the fireplace and took a taste of the soup. He nodded to himself, set the utensil back and turned to face Kaoru. "Come on, sit down and we can talk."

She hesitated but she was tired, even if the headache was slowly receding under the delicious aroma of stew. To show her reluctance, Kaoru dragged herself over to the furs and sat down as far away from him as she could.

He grinned and sank down right next to her so that their thighs touched. The warmth of his body seeped into her and Kaoru finally gave in because there really was no use. Leaning against him, she sighed in contentment as Kenshin wrapped his arm around her so she could inhale warm ginger and the faintest waft of garlic from making dinner. "First off, to answer your question, I missed you and I decided there was no point in wandering around in a foul mood. So I just came back home."

His chest amplified the gentle rumble of his words and Kaoru let her eyes flutter shut as the tension eased from her shoulders. "You've been only gone for two weeks," she mumbled. "It hasn't been that long."

"Your touching response to my confession has me all teary-eyed," he said dryly. "I guess I'm finding it harder and harder to stay away longer from you."

Kaoru sat up to look at him, injecting as much sincerity as she could into her voice. She didn't want to give him the wrong idea. "I'm glad you're back."

Kenshin smiled at her, lifting a hand to stroke her cheek. "Me, too."

A warm flutter of happiness and peace enveloped her as he leaned forward to press a lingering kiss. His tongue flicked out to the corner of her mouth before venturing inside to tangle with hers. The kiss was languid and slow, unhurried and smoldering because they both knew there would be plenty of time later to explore their passion.

But for now, Kaoru wanted answers so she finally broke the kiss. Her breath came out in small pants and Kenshin flashed a smug grin at her reaction. He moved in for another kiss but she stopped him by inserting a hand between them. "Before you take any further liberties, there are a few questions I have."

He sighed and leaned back. "All right, but make them quick. I have plans for tonight."

Snorting at his more-than-obvious intentions, Kaoru nevertheless complied. After all, even she could only push a Free Sword so far. "What happened? Why did Sano arrest you?"

"You mean besides the fact he enjoys lording his position over me?" Kenshin asked wryly. "He didn't like me before, but now that we're together, he _really_ doesn't like me."

"Of course he likes you. He just needs some time to adjust," Kaoru said dismissively. "But Sano knows better than to arrest people without reason. That would be an abuse of his authority and I'll fire him if he ever did that. So what happened?"

The red-haired man sighed and turned his gaze towards the fireplace. The unusual reluctance from the constable office returned and Kaoru didn't understand why Kenshin was acting like this. There were times when he didn't want to talk about something, but he would say so and she would adhere to his wishes. This resistance was entirely new and unsettling.

"It's just as Cho pieced together," he finally said, still not looking at her. "Fudosawa was looking for a fight. He said a few things that I took exception to, and I punched him."

Kaoru frowned, knowing he was deliberately leaving some details out. She chose to question him about the easiest thing first. "Punch him? Since when did you start fighting with your fists? And where was your sword? You didn't even have it with you in jail."

"I left it here. I figured I wouldn't need it since this was supposed to be a celebration party." Kenshin glanced at her, amethyst eyes turning amber from the firelight. "Punching Fudosawa was a visceral reaction. Very satisfying, but no one told me how much it hurts your fist."

She tried to hide a snort but wasn't entirely successful. "Poor baby. No one told you to punch a man, especially if you're not used to doing it. You're lucky you didn't break any fingers." But even as she chided him, Kaoru reached out to grasp his right wrist and inspect the appendages for any damage. Besides some swelling on the knuckles, it looked fine.

As she linked their hands together, reassured by the sight, Kaoru felt his strength from that simple touch. Callouses, similar to her own, dotted his palm and the pads of his fingers, indicating constant use of swords. She had seen him fight once, and it was both terrifying and beautiful to see the flash of his sword and the subsequent groans of pain. It wasn't the violence that frightened Kaoru, it was the tight rein of control Kenshin demonstrated over his eighteen opponents. He hadn't killed the gang members, but they all needed serious medical attention afterwards. The only thought she had, after seeing him fight without anyone even getting close to hitting him, was that if his control ever snapped, no one would be safe.

But despite the danger - or perhaps because of it? - Kaoru had fallen for him. He was a curious mixture of charm and menace, unafraid of most people and situations, and willing to give people the benefit of the doubt. His merciless streak emerged usually against those who would harm an innocent person. As a Free Sword, Kenshin wandered the country to lend his skills to anyone he deemed worthy and sometimes in exchange for money. Calling Free Swordsmen a mercenary, as Fudosawa had done, was considered a deep insult that usually ended in bloodshed. Their solitary nature and insatiable wanderlust kept most from settling down, even as they got older.

As she contemplated the man next to her, Kaoru wondered how they had gotten to the point in their relationship that Kenshin felt compelled to come back so soon. She didn't want to waste time with him, knowing he could easily leave the next day. But his incomplete story prodded her enough to say, "Why did Fudosawa choose to pick on you?"

Kenshin sighed. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"What do you think?"

She meant for her light-hearted tone to bring a smile to his face but apparently it did the opposite because Kenshin's lips pressed into a thin line. He didn't speak for several long moments and Kaoru gave him the time he needed. "Fine," he eventually replied. "I don't think Fudosawa was targeting me specifically. But he said … things to which I took exception."

Kaoru frowned, letting one finger draw on the back of his hand in an idle gesture. "What things?"

He paused again before he turned his head to look directly into her eyes. "It was about you. Derogatory terms and threats."

She stared at him, scrutinizing his face as she waited for more. When he didn't say anything further, Kaoru cleared her throat. "Is that it?"

He looked startled at her response. "Isn't that enough?"

"Kenshin! People say things about me all the time, and much of it isn't flattering. It comes with the territory of being Constable. If I had to beat someone up for threatening me every time, I'd never be able to do anything else!"

He stared at her as if she was speaking another language. "I knew a little grumbling was normal, but Fudosawa was spouting complete lies and disparaging your reputation, in front of everyone at the tavern."

Kaoru snorted. "Well, if you know the truth, why would you think anyone else would believe him? These people know me better than you, and they've seen me fail enough times before. I'm good at my job, and of course I'm going to make enemies from it." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his. "You just have to let it go. You can't stop anyone from speaking their thoughts even if you don't agree with them."

Kenshin scowled. "I'm not sure I like hearing that people are disrespectful to you. I can't promise I won't say something if they go too far."

She laughed, oddly touched by his protective response, and leaned back to brush his bangs from his eyes so she could see him better. "If you go any further than that, you'll end up in my jail cell again. And next time you may not get out as quickly as you did tonight." The mention of the cell triggered the memory of how Kenshin had gotten out. Kaoru scowled and pulled back from him completely to give him the gimlet eye. "And since when do Free Swords have the ability to break open metal locks, anyway? You weren't even armed and there's no way you could have picked the lock ahead of time."

"Ah, that." Despite his indignation on her behalf, a wry smile curved his lips. "As amused as I am that you think I'm so strong even without my sword, I'm afraid there's a simple explanation as to how I was able to leave the cell so easily."

She quirked a brow, curiosity overcoming her disquiet. "What is it?"

He chuckled and drew her closer against his chest until she could feel his words vibrate through her cheek. "The lock was broken. It's probably been broken for a while, from the look of it."

"_What_?" Kaoru jerked from his arms to stare at him shock. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me? Why wasn't it ever fixed?" The idea that any of her previous prisoners could have escaped was extremely alarming. That would be her number one priority to take care of tomorrow.

Kenshin shrugged, looking far too unconcerned for her peace of mind. "No one's ever needed to. Why fix it when people don't realize it's broken? Even you didn't realize it, and it's not like you to miss these details."

She couldn't say anything to that, because she truly hadn't noticed anything was off. Kaoru distinctly recalled watching the door shut firmly multiple times and it never looked loose in the slightest. "Well," she finally spluttered, trying to regain her equilibrium. "What about the other cells?"

"They should be fine. I wouldn't have left Fudosawa alone otherwise." Kenshin gathered her up and set her fully in his lap, skimming his hand up and down her back to relax her worry away. "Is that all the questions you have? If so, I plan on feeding you and then make you exert some of that energy on some strenuous activity."

His words caused her stomach to clench in anticipation and Kaoru decided it was past time to leave work behind. There wasn't anything she could do at the moment anyway, and she wanted to enjoy the time together. Food would be welcome, too. All thoughts of Fudo-whoever and jail cells scattered as Kenshin cupped her face and kissed her with a fiery passion that showed her exactly how he felt.

And, as Kenshin reminded her, a Free Sword always accomplishes what he sets out to do.

* * *

**AN:** Needed a mental break from editing Defender, especially after the somewhat lackluster response on the latest chapter. Normally I try not to let stuff like that get to me but it's been a long week and I was really uncertain about how the chapter would be received. I thought the best way to combat that was to write something sweet and romantic, only it took a lot longer than I thought. My brain kept wanting to shy away from romance and work on more action. This probably needs a second part to show there's an actual plot but I liked how this turned out. Let me know what you think about it.


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